The Beatles- Tell Me What You See
Page 10
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Getting Closer
All of the ‘Back To The Egg’ TV special songs (with the exception of ‘Goodnight Tonight’) were taped in Kent and Sussex, from 28-05-79 to 06-06-79, with this one featuring the band in a van at night and in an aircraft hangar. ‘Getting Closer’ was released as a single, getting to No. 60 in the UK and No. 22 in the USA.
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Baby’s Request
Miming on Camber Sands beach while dressed in WW2 military outfits, this is one of the best videos from the ‘Back To The Egg’ shoot. Paul must think so too, as, after long admitting he wasn’t a fan of the album, he included this as the only ‘Back To The Egg’ video on ‘The McCartney Years’. The video is also available with a sepia effect instead of the usual full colour, while Paul, unusually, re-cut the song for his 2012 ‘Kisses On The Bottom’ project.
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Old Siam Sir
Filmed here inside Lympne Castle in Kent, ‘Old Siam Sir’ was a No. 35 hit single, though it deserved better.
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Winter Rose – Love Awake
The kind of gentle ballads that Paul can write in his sleep, these are filmed both in and outside Lympne Castle, including, for the ‘Winter Rose’ section, some rather convincing fake snow.
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Spin It On
Back in the aircraft hanger, the frantic new wave-influenced ‘Spin It On’ was a highlight of Paul’s 1979 UK tour, where it was performed at an even frenetic pace.
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Again and Again and Again
Miming in a field full of yellow flowers, this song features Denny Laine singing lead vocals on what was one of the best songs on the album.
00-06-79 – Promo Video
Arrow Through Me
Another very modern sounding song for the time, ‘Arrow Through Me’ was a minor US hit at No. 29, and was also heard in the 1980 Chevy Chase comedy movie, ‘Oh! Heavenly Dog’.
14-09-79 – ‘The Buddy Holly Tribute Concert’, Hammersmith Odeon (UK)
Raining In My Heart [Performed by Denny Laine] / It’s So Easy / Bo Diddley [with The Crickets, Don Everly and Albert Lee]
Paul McCartney had always been a big Buddy Holly fan of course, and that is never more evident than here, performing with his heroes. Following this, from 23-11-79 to 17-12-79, Wings would tour the UK; it would turn out to be their final tour (though they’d add one special charity show on the 29-12-79), and Paul wouldn’t tour again for another decade.
00-11-79 – Promo Video
Wonderful Christmas Time
Taped on 16-11-79, this video features all of the 1979 Wings line-up, despite the song actually being recorded by Paul solo. A No. 6 UK hit that stalled at No. 47 in the USA, the video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 13-12-79, 03-01-80 and, 18 years later, on 25-12-07, and is also featured on ‘The McCartney Years’
29-12-79 – ‘The Concert For The People Of Kampuchea’, Hammersmith Odeon (UK)
Got To Get You Into My Life / Getting Closer (incomplete) / Every Night / Old Siam Sir (incomplete) / Hot As Sun / Arrow Through Me (incomplete) / Coming Up / Lucille / Let It Be / Rockestra Theme [The last 3 songs feature Pete Townshend, Gary Brooker, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, Dave Edmunds and others]
For this special charity concert, Wings, with arguably the best line-up they ever had, hit the stage for the last time. ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’, ‘Every Night’, ‘Coming Up’, ‘Lucille’, ‘Let It Be’ and ‘Rockestra Theme’ were broadcast on TV on UK TV on 04-01-81 (as well as released on the various artists charity album), while the other listed songs have escaped on various official and unofficial releases, but the full uncut show is many people’s (including this author’s) wish. If ever it is released, expect the following set-list: Got To Get You Into My Life / Getting Closer / Every Night / Again and Again and Again / I've Had Enough / No Words / Cook Of The House / Old Siam Sir / Maybe I'm Amazed / The Fool On The Hill / Hot As Sun / Spin It On / Twenty Flight Rock / Go Now / Arrow Through Me / Coming Up / Goodnight Tonight / Yesterday / Mull Of Kintyre / Band On The Run / Lucille / Let It Be / Rockestra Theme
Early 01-80 – Japan Tour Rehearsals (UK)
Eleanor Rigby / Got To Get You Into My Life (take 1) / With A Little Luck / Coming Up / Got To Get You Into My Life (take 2) / Got To Get You Into My Life (take 3)
Rehearsing in Paul’s home at Lower Gate Farm, Peasmarsh, the band prepares for a scheduled tour of Japan, due to run from 21-01-80 to 02-02-80. The tour didn’t happen, as, on arriving in the country on 16-01-80, customs found a large stash of marijuana in the McCartney’s luggage. It could have led to a long time in prison, but, after spending 10 days in a cell, he was promptly deported without charge.
Following this incident, and the death of John Lennon later the same year, Paul lost interest in both touring and Wings, though Denny Laine would last long enough to feature on some of the early sessions for what would become the ‘Tug Of War’ album.
00-04-80 – Promo Video
Coming Up
Premiered on the 1979 Wings tour, when issued as a single it would be as a Paul McCartney solo recording (though a live Wings version was on the B-side), and would get to No. 2 in the UK and No. 1 in the USA, while the ‘McCartney II’ parent album would top the charts in the UK and get to No. 3 in the USA. However, it’s the video that is most impressive. Taped in London’s Ewart Studios on 26/27-03-80, Paul is filmed multiple times as different characters (while Linda also appears twice), which, through the marvels of technology, all share the stage together. Amongst the most memorable characters Paul plays are Hank Marvin from The Shadows (and not Buddy Holly, as many people assume), Ron Mael from Sparks, and, most convincingly of all, Paul McCartney from The Beatles, complete with Hofner violin and collarless jacket. The video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 24-04-80 and 25-12-80, and is on ‘The McCartney Years’.
00-06-80 – Promo Video
Waterfalls
This is another very clever video, featuring as it does Paul leaving his writing desk for a quick stroll around the garden, where he encounters fireworks, a fairground carousel and a polar bear, before returning to his desk… and all seemingly done in 1 take. The song too is excellent, one of his best ballads, which deservedly got to No. 9 in the UK, though it failed dismally at No. 106 in the USA. The video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 09-07-80, and is on ‘The McCartney Years’. The next single, the weird and wonderful ‘Temporary Secretary’, didn’t have a video and nor was it a hit, though that didn’t stop Paul from surprising everyone by performing it live, for the first time, at London’s O2 Arena in 2015.
00-07-80 – Promo Video #1 – LINDA McCARTNEY (as SUZY and THE RED STRIPES)
Seaside Woman
Although this animated video wasn’t released until 1980, the song had been released as a single in 1977. It was a minor US hit too, peaking at No. 59.
00-02-82 – ‘The Cooler’ (UK) – RINGO STARR
See the RINGO STARR section for more details!
00-03-82 – Promo Video
Ebony and Ivory [with Stevie Wonder]
Now flying without Wings, Paul was free to use whatever musicians he wanted, as well as giving himself more opportunities to record with famous friends (old and new) such as Carl Perkins, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder, whom he duets with here. After such off the wall songs as ‘Temporary Secretary’ and ‘Old Siam Sir’, it was at first strange to hear Paul McCartney seemingly playing it safe with polished pop, but, that said, his early ‘80s period produced some of the classiest music of the era. ‘Ebony and Ivory’ is one such song, and it effortlessly topped the charts both sides of the Atlantic, as did the album ‘Tug Of War’. The video, memorably featuring Paul and Stevie walking on a giant keyboard, was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 08-04-82, 22-04-82, 29-04-82, 06-05-82 and 25-12-82, and i
s also on ‘The McCartney Years’
00-03-82 – Promo Video
Ebony and Ivory [solo version]
This is basically the duet version with Paul doing all the vocals, and was used as a bonus track on the 12” single. The video features Paul playing piano in a darkened studio, occasionally joined by a black prisoner who is listening to the song on his Walkman. Not surprisingly, this was not on ‘The McCartney Years’.
00-07-82 – Promo Video
Take It Away [with Ringo Starr]
A better video than ‘Ebony and Ivory’, this shows Paul with a band, both rehearsing and on stage, a band that includes Ringo Starr, George Martin and 10cc’s Eric Stewart. Taped on 18/19/21/22/23-06-82, it was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 15-07-82 and 29-07-82, and is on ‘The McCartney Years’. The single got to No. 15 in the UK and No. 10 in the USA.
00-10-82 – Promo Video #1
Tug Of War
One of Paul’s most stunning ballads, this video, taped on 23/24-09-82 sees Paul and Linda singing in a plain photographic studio, interspersed with other scenes, and was used as the opening song of disc 1 on ‘The McCartney Years’. Released as a single, it stalled at just No. 53 in both the UK and the USA, probably because most people interested would’ve bought the album by now.
00-10-82 – Promo Video #2
Tug Of War
Not released at the time, this features Paul working in a recording studio.
00-10-82 – Promo Video
Here Today
One of the highlights not only of ‘Tug Of War’, but of Paul’s whole career, is the song ‘Here Today’. A sort of sadder follow-up to ‘Yesterday’, it was Paul’s feelings about John put into words. Many years later, he regularly performed the song in concert, when it gained even more poignancy following the deaths of Linda and George. Taped on 23/24-09-82, the video features Paul in the recording studio, similar to the 2nd ‘Tug Of War’ video. Apparently this is an official MPL promo video, but if so, it is nothing special at all, and certainly doesn’t do the song justice. Also circulating is a video comprised of still images of John, and while it’s better than the above, it is unofficial, and was probably compiled by a TV station at the time.
11-11-82 – ‘Top Of The Pops’ (UK) – ZOO
The Girl Is Mine [with Michael Jackson]
From the album ‘Thriller’, no video was made for this mediocre duet with Michael Jackson, so ‘Top Of The Pops’ latest (and final) troupe danced to it. The song got to No. 8 in the UK and No. 2 in the USA.
00-10-83 – Promo Video – TRACEY ULLMAN
They Don’t Know
Paul makes a brief cameo in the video for Tracey Ullman’s big hit, probably as a favour to her for appearing in the forthcoming ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’ movie. The song got to No. 2 in the UK and No. 8 in the USA.
00-10-83 – Promo Video
Say Say Say [with Michael Jackson]
Taped on 04/05/06-10-83 in California, this elaborate video cost a whopping $500,000, and it shows. Getting to No. 2 in the UK and No. 1 in the USA, the video was debuted on ‘The Late Late Breakfast Show’ on 29-10-83, shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 03-11-83 and 17-11-83, and is on ‘The McCartney Years’. The album the song is taken from, ‘Pipes Of Peace’, was generally considered inferior to ‘Tug Of War’, reaching No. 4 in the UK but just No. 15 in the USA.
00-12-83 – Promo Video
Pipes Of Peace
One of Paul’s best-loved videos, this was taped on Chobham Common in Surrey in early December, and recreates a famous Christmas Day 2014 truce between English and German soldiers. The video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 22-12-83, 12-01-84 and 19-01-84, and is also on ‘The McCartney Years’. Musically too, this was considered by most to be superior to the previous single, though, despite being a UK No. 1, it stalled at No. 23 in the USA.
00-12-83 – Promo Video
So Bad
A simple studio video, featuring Paul and Linda accompanied by Ringo Starr and Eric Stewart, it can be found, in original un-cropped form, on ‘The McCartney Years’.
00-04-84 – Promo Video – BOB MARLEY
One Love
Paul makes a brief cameo in this video for Bob Marley’s posthumous UK No. 5 hit.
09-06-84 – ‘Aspel and Company’ (UK)
That’ll Be The Day [with Tracey Ullman and Michael Aspel]
Taped on 07-06-84, the song is just a loose jam, performed following an interview.
00-09-84 – Promo Video
No More Lonely Nights [ballad version]
Largely taped on 10-04-84, and featuring scenes from the ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’ movie, this fine ballad got to No. 2 in the UK and No. 6 in the USA. Premiered on MTV on 02-10-84, and shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 04-10-84 and 18-10-84, the video is on ‘The McCartney Years’.
00-09-84 – Promo Video
No More Lonely Nights [Playout Version]
During the closing credits for ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’, a very different version of ‘No More Lonely Nights’ can be heard. The rarely screened video features Paul, Linda and Shalamar’s Jeffrey Daniel, combined with archive footage of various dance scenes, including rare colour film from ‘Ready, Steady, Go!’.
14-10-84 – ‘The South Bank Show’ (UK)
For No One
A documentary on the making of ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’, the highlight was this acoustic run-through, which was taped in London’s AIR Studios in December 1983.
25-10-84 – ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’ movie (UK)
Yesterday / Here, There and Everywhere / Wanderlust / Ballroom Dancing / Silly Love Songs / Not Such A Bad Boy / So Bad / No Values / For No One / Eleanor Rigby / The Long and Winding Road / No More Lonely Nights / Yesterday (busking version)
Taped, sporadically, from November 1982 to July 1984, ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’ is highly entertaining (this author prefers it to ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ and ‘Let It Be’), despite the criticism at the time. Co-starring Ringo and Barbara, along with a host of other big names, it was also the first time that Paul had totally embraced his Beatle past, recording new versions of several songs, though at the time it was Ringo who was more reluctant, refusing to drum on any of the Beatles songs. The ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’ sound-track album topped the charts in the UK, but only reached No. 21 in the USA.
00-11-84 – ‘Rupert and The Frog Song’ (UK)
We All Stand Together
Made throughout 1981 – 1983, ‘Rupert and The Frog Song’ is an animated short film, released to cinemas as a support feature to ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’. The song featured in this, ‘We All Stand Together’, is a children’s song very much in the Disney tradition, though, as so often in the past (‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’, ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’, ‘Mull Of Kintyre’, etc), it did little for Paul’s street-credibility.
00-11-84 – Promo Video
We All Stand Together
A different performance in both audio and video to the one in ‘Rupert and The Frog Song’, this animated video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 06-12-84, 20-12-84 and 03-01-85. It got to No. 3 in the UK charts, but wasn’t issued in the USA.
13-07-85 – ‘Live Aid’, Wembley Stadium, London (UK)
Let It Be [with David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Bob Geldof, Alison Moyet and others] / Do They Know It’s Christmas {Finale, with entire all-star cast]
There had been big charity events before, and there have been plenty of more since, but none had quite the impact, financially and culturally, that ‘Live Aid’ did. Following storming performances by Queen, Status Quo, U2, David Bowie, The Who and others, Paul bravely took to the stage solo without a band. Unfortunately, his microphone failed, so no-one could hear his vocals, and, towards the end of the song, David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Alison Moyet and Bob Geldof joined the stage to give him some moral support (Paul later went into the studio to re-record his vocal, which is why it is audible on all s
ubsequent broadcasts and official releases). As well as on the mammoth Live Aid box-set, Paul’s performance can be seen on ‘The McCartney Years’.
12-09-85 – ‘Arena: Buddy Holly’ (UK)
Words Of Love
Later screened in the USA and released on VHS as ‘The Real Buddy Holly Story’, Paul can be seen strumming ‘Words Of Love’ in a barn, though the real highlight of this documentary was a partial airing of The Quarrymen’s ‘That’ll Be The Day’ demo, the first time this had been heard in public.
00-11-85 – Promo Video
Spies Like Us
Taped on 09/10-10-85, and with a song from the movie of the same name, the video was shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on 06-01-86. A UK No. 13 and US No. 7 hit, there are actually 2 different edits for the video: in the US version, actresses Vanessa Angel and Donna Dixon can briefly be seen miming to the backing vocals, but due to the still-antiquated UK miming rules, those scenes were edited from the UK version. It is this latter edit that is on ‘The McCartney Years’.
19-06-86 – Wembley Arena – Rehearsals (UK)
I Saw Her Standing There / Long Tall Sally / Get Back (several takes of each song) [with Eric Clapton, Elton John, Tina Turner, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins and others]
These rehearsals circulate unofficially.
20-06-86 – ‘The Princes Trust Concert’, Wembley Arena, London (UK)
I Saw Her Standing There / Long Tall Sally / Get Back [with Eric Clapton, Elton John, Tina Turner, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins, Bryan Adams and others]
Spurred on by Live Aid (despite the microphone failure), Paul was gradually coming round to the idea of performing live again throughout the latter half of the ‘80s. Performing, for the first time since The Beatles, ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ and ‘Get Back’, as well as ‘Long Tall Sally’, Paul does a fine job, even though he strums an acoustic guitar instead of playing bass. This was broadcast on 28-06-86.